"Rape is a deviant event"

Myth: Rapists are strangers lurking in dark alleys.

Busted: There is no such thing as a typical rapist or typical rapist behaviour. Around 90% of rapes are perpetrated by someone known to the victim in a place that was previously safe to them such as their home or workplace. This myth implies that rape can be prevented by avoiding certain places and therefore blames the victim.

Myth: Men of certain races and backgrounds are more likely to commit sexual violence.

Busted: There is no typical rapist. People who commit sexual violence come from all walks of life - every economic, ethnic, racial, age and social group and all genders.

Myth: Women don’t commit sexual offences.

Busted: The majority of sexual assaults and rapes are committed by cis men against cis women and children. However, women do perpetrate sexual violence against other women, men and children. Often people who've been sexually assaulted or abused by a woman worry they won't be believed or their experiences won't be considered 'as bad'. This can make it difficult for these survivors to access services or justice.

As you can see, there a lot of different myths widely held and rape and sexual assault or abuse that has been created or fed by Rape Culture. We hope that by busting these myths we’ve shown how, in most cases, common sense prevails, and we hope it helps you feel more supported than you may have felt before as you were bombarded with these separate myths. We hope this has helped you realise that, no matter how loud or hard people, the media, society or institutional structures try to say it, you are never responsible for what has happened to you. We hope this helps you remember this, and go on your own myth busting journey!